


Heart Language

by zacekova



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Gen, Languages, Light Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Okumura Eiji Needs a Hug, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:29:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21937507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zacekova/pseuds/zacekova
Summary: Sing shrugs out of his coat and asks, “Hey, how do you say ‘I’m back’ in Japanese?”
Relationships: Okumura Eiji & Sing Soo-Ling, Okumura Eiji/Sing Soo-Ling
Kudos: 56





	Heart Language

**Author's Note:**

> For a tumblr nonnie. Sorry I didn't get more shippy stuff in here, but more to the story just wasn't coming to me.

He thinks of it mid-sentence while on the phone with his mother, the taxi driver muttering curses under his breath from the front seat as they crawl their way through evening traffic. 

It’s been a long day of muddling through negotiations and paperwork and arguing with Yut Lung, and finally being able to slip into the familiar ease of Mandarin is a relief. 

It’s not like Sing struggles with English, he’s basically fluent, but he still learned it second; its sounds are not the ones that make him think of hugs from his mother and warm baths before bed and the clatter of pots and pans in the kitchen every evening. English means work, means fighting on the streets, means  _ stress _ ; Mandarin is home. 

So as the cab driver spits out a half-hearted “fucker” at the stoplight on 6th and Washington that’s  _ still  _ broken, Sing suddenly thinks of Eiji and the way his face lights up whenever Shunichi’s voice comes through the phone’s speaker, the way he immediately switches over to Japanese even if their old friend had already been speaking in English. He thinks of the way Eiji hardly seems to know what’s going on with his family back in Japan, all the awkwardness and hurt feelings over his move to the States still lingering between them. Of how Eiji’s pronunciation has gotten better, but it’s still terrible, he still struggles to find the words he wants whenever he’s stressed or tired or hungry or sad. 

So when he finally gets to Eiji’s and is greeted with a quiet smile, Sing shrugs out of his coat and asks, “Hey, how do you say ‘I’m back’ in Japanese?” 

Eiji’s eyes widen in surprise and then go distant, nostalgic maybe, and the answering “tadaima,” sounds just the same. 

Sing hums and tries it out himself, enunciating carefully, and grins when Eiji gives a nod in acknowledgment. “You should teach me.” 

Eiji’s brow furrows. “Why?” 

Sing shrugs. “Could be useful someday, if we ever do business with Japan. And you miss it, don’t you?” 

It’s hard to define Eiji’s reaction to that — surprised, maybe a little sad, but with a lurking touch of happiness in the corners of his eyes. “Okay,” Eiji says, nodding, “I’ll teach you.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://zacekova.tumblr.com/). Feel free to scream at me about this fic, ask questions, or request prompts.


End file.
